# ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed AAPL (Apple)

> Source: BetterThanSPY research, https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-aapl
> Data as of October 22, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

AAPL (Apple Inc.) screened against the entire market of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs over 8 periods from 1 month to 10 years, with dividends reinvested. To make the list, an investment had to outperform AAPL in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods. "All-weather" means outperforming in every long-term period and all but one short-term period. Returns in the tables are total returns over each period; volatility and Sharpe ratio cover 5 years.

## Key findings

- How hard it was to top AAPL: Of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs screened, just 2 of 958 eligible ETFs (0.2%) and 75 of 1,501 eligible stocks (5.0%) outperformed Apple in a majority of the short-term and long-term timeframes. Only 12 stocks were all-weather, while no ETFs were all-weather, so Apple was difficult to top consistently.
- Who came out ahead across the three groups:
  - Popular alternatives: None of the popular alternatives cleared the consistency bar. INTC outperformed in 3 of 5 short-term timeframes but only 1 of 3 long-term timeframes, while DXJ outperformed in 0 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes. VGT and XLK each outperformed in 0 of 5 short-term and 1 of 3 long-term timeframes. The same-index fund exclusion count was 0.
  - Top ETFs: Both qualifying ETFs were commodity funds: BNO outperformed in 5 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, while UGA did so in 4 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes. No ETFs were all-weather.
  - Top stocks: 75 stocks made the consistency cut, including 12 all-weather stocks. The top stocks shown include MPC from Energy, WSM from Consumer Discretionary, FRO from Industrials, and HALO from Healthcare. Each outperformed in 5 of 5 short-term and 3 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- The risk trade-off: The qualifying ETFs and the top stocks had higher volatility than AAPL over 5 years. The ETFs' median volatility was 36.1%, compared with 28.0% for AAPL, and both ETFs had higher Sharpe ratios than the benchmark. The top stocks' median volatility was 44.0%, and 7 of 10 had higher Sharpe ratios, suggesting most delivered more return per unit of risk despite a bumpier ride.

## How popular alternatives compare

| Investment | Status | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AAPL: Apple Inc. (benchmark) |  |  | +2.5% | +6.9% | +27.7% | +28.8% | +35.2% | +104% | +140% | +1,194% | 28.0% | 0.77 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | Fell short | 0/5 short, 2/3 long | −2.3% | +0.4% | +10.4% | +23.0% | +34.3% | +125% | +225% | +415% | 19.1% | 1.34 |
| [INTC](https://betterthanspy.com/research/intc): Intel Corp. | Fell short | 3/5 short, 1/3 long | −31.0% | −16.7% | +31.0% | +117% | +132% | +157% | +87.6% | +199% | 55.5% | 0.50 |
| [CSCO](https://betterthanspy.com/research/csco): Cisco Systems, Inc. | Fell short | 2/5 short, 1/3 long | −1.1% | −6.2% | +17.7% | +39.7% | +51.2% | +117% | +118% | +361% | 26.1% | 0.73 |
| [VGT](https://betterthanspy.com/research/vgt): Vanguard Information Technology ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 1/3 long | −6.1% | +2.7% | +15.4% | +25.9% | +26.7% | +135% | +130% | +753% | 26.1% | 0.77 |
| [XLK](https://betterthanspy.com/research/xlk): State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 1/3 long | −7.1% | +1.3% | +15.6% | +26.8% | +28.4% | +126% | +139% | +741% | 26.1% | 0.80 |
| [MSFT](https://betterthanspy.com/research/msft): Microsoft Corporation | Fell short | 2/5 short, 0/3 long | +4.6% | +33.7% | +20.9% | +10.9% | +0.9% | +61.9% | +75.6% | +862% | 28.2% | 0.54 |
| [QQQ](https://betterthanspy.com/research/qqq): Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −5.8% | 0.0% | +7.8% | +15.3% | +16.9% | +101% | +94.0% | +531% | 23.0% | 0.69 |
| [AMZN](https://betterthanspy.com/research/amzn): Amazon.com, Inc. | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −1.8% | +2.3% | −1.9% | +10.5% | +14.9% | +97.8% | +50.1% | +498% | 36.6% | 0.41 |
| ONEQ: Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −4.5% | +1.4% | +5.9% | +12.6% | +15.2% | +104% | +80.9% | +437% | 22.6% | 0.64 |
| [VOO](https://betterthanspy.com/research/voo): Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −1.2% | +2.5% | +8.0% | +12.7% | +15.7% | +88.8% | +80.8% | +319% | 16.9% | 0.79 |
| [IVV](https://betterthanspy.com/research/ivv): iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −1.2% | +2.5% | +8.0% | +12.8% | +15.7% | +88.8% | +80.8% | +319% | 17.0% | 0.79 |
| [SPY](https://betterthanspy.com/research/spy): State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −1.2% | +2.5% | +8.0% | +12.7% | +15.6% | +88.4% | +80.3% | +316% | 17.2% | 0.78 |
| [VTI](https://betterthanspy.com/research/vti): Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −1.4% | +1.9% | +7.3% | +12.4% | +15.3% | +87.3% | +71.5% | +298% | 17.5% | 0.71 |

## ETFs that consistently outperformed AAPL

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Expense | Assets |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AAPL: Apple Inc. (benchmark) |  | +2.5% | +6.9% | +27.7% | +28.8% | +35.2% | +104% | +140% | +1,194% | 28.0% | 0.77 |  |  |
| BNO: United States Brent Oil Fund LP | 5/5 short, 2/3 long | +19.0% | +34.0% | +36.4% | +144% | +139% | +118% | +205% | +359% | 37.1% | 0.79 | 1.15% | $768M |
| UGA: United States Gasoline Fund, LP | 4/5 short, 2/3 long | −0.6% | +16.0% | +32.8% | +132% | +125% | +117% | +227% | +401% | 35.1% | 0.85 | 1.08% | $167M |

## Stocks that consistently outperformed AAPL

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Market cap |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AAPL: Apple Inc. (benchmark) |  | +2.5% | +6.9% | +27.7% | +28.8% | +35.2% | +104% | +140% | +1,194% | 28.0% | 0.77 |  |
| [MPC](https://betterthanspy.com/research/mpc): Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +17.9% | +45.8% | +108% | +181% | +148% | +226% | +660% | +1,314% | 33.4% | 1.39 | $129B |
| WSM: Williams-Sonoma, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +12.4% | +17.7% | +33.1% | +40.7% | +40.7% | +249% | +202% | +1,298% | 44.4% | 0.72 | $31B |
| FRO: Frontline Plc | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +6.9% | +41.8% | +62.0% | +182% | +148% | +222% | +762% | +1,270% | 49.7% | 1.12 | $11B |
| HALO: Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +8.2% | +60.0% | +82.1% | +77.1% | +89.4% | +258% | +220% | +1,255% | 40.4% | 0.78 | $14B |
| [NTRA](https://betterthanspy.com/research/ntra): Natera, Inc. | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +2.7% | +51.9% | +93.2% | +75.4% | +113% | +901% | +249% | +3,934% | 57.6% | 0.73 | $58B |
| [FTNT](https://betterthanspy.com/research/ftnt): Fortinet, Inc. | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.7% | +11.6% | +98.6% | +122% | +104% | +208% | +158% | +2,668% | 44.8% | 0.65 | $127B |
| BWLP: BW LPG Limited | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +1.2% | +20.7% | +46.1% | +116% | +129% | +232% | +966% | +2,648% | 50.9% | 1.19 | $3.8B |
| [LLY](https://betterthanspy.com/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +11.7% | +12.5% | +42.3% | +21.5% | +61.9% | +131% | +461% | +1,870% | 32.8% | 1.22 | $1.2T |
| LPG: Dorian LPG Ltd. | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −3.9% | +19.7% | +49.2% | +123% | +107% | +123% | +817% | +1,827% | 43.6% | 1.24 | $2.2B |
| COKE: Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +12.5% | +16.7% | +15.1% | +44.1% | +67.4% | +257% | +468% | +1,564% | 38.0% | 1.11 | $14B |

## What stands out

The ETF leaders came from commodities, while the top stock group spans energy, retail, shipping, healthcare, technology, and other industries. That range points to several different sources of outperformance rather than one dominant sector. The long-term results were especially notable among the leading stocks: the top names shown outperformed AAPL in all 3 long-term timeframes, while the ETFs each did so in 2 of 3.

The winning stocks still carried a bumpier ride. Over 5 years, the top stocks shown had much higher median volatility than AAPL, although most also had higher Sharpe ratios, a measure of return relative to risk. The ETF group was less broad, but both funds had higher Sharpe ratios than AAPL. These results describe past performance, not a promise that the same groups will keep ahead.

## More research

- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed NVDA (Nvidia)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-nvda)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed MSFT (Microsoft)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-msft)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed AMZN (Amazon)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-amzn)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed GOOG (Alphabet)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-goog)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed META (Meta Platforms)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-meta)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed TSLA (Tesla)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-tsla)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed COST (Costco)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-cost)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed SPY (S&P 500)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-spy)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed VOO (S&P 500)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-voo)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed VTI (Total US Stock Market)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-vti)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed QQQ (Nasdaq-100)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-qqq)
- [ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed DIA (Dow Jones Industrial Average)](https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-dia)

## Explore further

- Full page: https://betterthanspy.com/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-aapl
- All research pages: https://betterthanspy.com/llms.txt